Lyon library honors volunteer

Lyon Township Public Library officials know they're fortunate to have many dedicated volunteers, which is why the library is acknowledging volunteers with LTPL’s Volunteer
Spotlight.

The first recipient is Mary Pat Freund.

Freund has been on the library board since 2001, when an acquaintance asked her to fill an upcoming spot. The first thing she did when moving to the area in 2000 was register for a library card, and having loved libraries all her life, this was a perfect fit. She started as board secretary and is now vice president. Freund has weathered five millage campaigns, including the 2017 campaign that will bring more services.

Freund added weekly Storytimes to her library agenda. “This was a good thing for me after retirement” Freund said. “I was a kindergarten teacher who loved doing themed projects with songs and crafts.”

Anyone who has attended Family Fun Day knows Freund as the bubble lady. She has been entertaining kids with bubbles bigger than their heads for many years. She is also an active member of Friends of the Library and is an integral part of the book sale set-up. “I enjoy seeing all the different books that are donated and enjoy organizing them,” Freund said.

Freund has been a lifelong lover of libraries. The seed was planted by her father, who took her to the library often as a little girl where she voraciously read all the old classics like L. Frank Baum, the Black Stallions books, and many more.

Freund sees the library as an integral part of our community.

“Lyon Township has no center, no downtown, and no real identity,” Freund said. “A library could be a community gathering space for meetings, events, entertainment, etc. It’s a place to get factual information. Lyon Township has nothing that connects us as a community and our library could fill that void.”